£168m for FETF23 announced at NFU conference

The government has announced a further £168m of grants for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2023 (FETF23).

Speaking at the NFU Annual Conference, Farming Minister Mark Spencer said: “The role farmers play in putting food on our tables as well as looking after our countryside is crucial. We know that sustainable food production depends on a healthy environment, the two go hand in hand.

“Helping farms invest in new technology as well as bringing in nature-friendly schemes will support the future of farming.”

The grants are for specific pieces of equipment or technology.

Commenting on the announcement Dr Belinda Clarke, Director of Agri-TechE comments: “We welcome support for investment in agri-tech but to realise the benefit from FETF23 grants, farmers and other land-based businesses need to be able to integrate these technologies within a whole farm management strategy and to be able to measure and monitor interventions and their impacts.”

FETF23 opens today

FETF23  is aimed at farming, horticultural and forestry businesses and invites applications for a grant for specific items of equipment and technology that will boost sustainability, reduce input usage or improve animal welfare. It is competitive, so not all applications will be successful.

The list of eligible equipment that has been reviewed by farmers, vets, academics and industry groups and 19 new items have been added since the first round of funding. This includes a crop sprayer that uses camera to guide the delivery of spray, reducing herbicide usage.

Other types of technology could include: robotic technology to support harvesting and handling; sensors to map and measure soil nutrients and improvements to slurry storage to reduce fertiliser usage.

There are two themes and you can apply for either or both:

• Productivity and slurry – opens now
• Animal health and welfare items – opens shortly

The list of eligible equipment for Productivity and slurry can be found here; the list of eligible equipment for Animal health and welfare can be found here.

Last year’s funding through FETF22 awarded grants to support precision agriculture, mobile sheep handling and tractor mounted sensors to measure nitrogen levels in crops.

Notable projects included: CowView, a completely hands-free solution that will monitor a cow’s welfare and performance without the need for wearable devices; a herd of vegetable harvesting agri-robots, developed by Muddy Machines and Benchmark’s data-sharing solutions for farmers to support each other in measuring and monitoring soil health patterns.

Investment in water storage

Later in the year there will be a further round of funding for:

• investment in water storage (reservoirs)
• improving irrigation,
• automation and robotics
• upgrades or new housing that improves the ambient environment and social contact for calves.

Sustainable Farming Incentive

Farmers are also encouraged to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive, which was launched in June 2022.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer continues: “Helping farms invest in new technology as well as bringing in nature-friendly schemes will support the future of farming.”

The government has accelerating the rollout of the Sustainable Farming Incentive, with six new standards for 2023, and setting out detail on what farmers will be paid to deliver through our enhanced Countryside Stewardship scheme.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive Management Payment is worth up to £1,000 per year per farm and payment rates through Countryside Stewardship have been increased. SFI pays farmers to undertake sustainable management actions (going beyond regulatory requirements) alongside productive farming.

SFI actions are grouped into packages set out as ‘standards’.

1. Hedgerows standard - farmers will be paid to assess the condition of hedgerows and manage them in a way that will work for wildlife and improve biodiversity.
2. Improved grassland standard (brought forward from 2024) – farmers will be paid for actions such as taking grassland out of management, managing grassland for winter bird food and establishing and maintaining buffer strips at the edge of fields – helping wildlife and biodiversity.
3. Low input grassland standard (brought forward from 2024) – farmers will be paid to manage low input grassland to improve biodiversity, soil management and water quality.
4. Arable and horticultural land standard (brought forward from 2024) – farmers will be paid for actions including establishing and maintaining areas of nectar-rich flower mix; establishing and maintaining flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips; providing winter bird food; establishing and maintaining grassy field corners and blocks; and establishing and maintaining buffer strips.
5. Integrated pest management standard – farmers will be paid to carry out an assessment and produce an integrated pest management plan; establishing and maintaining flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips, including payments for not using insecticides and for planting companion crops.
6. Nutrient management standard – farmers will be paid to make an assessment and produce a report of their management of nutrients, helping to encourage them to understand how they are managing nutrients and to take further action to deliver environmental benefits.

The NFU has a useful summary of the FETF23